The Wonders Of Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was one of the greatest civilizations in history. It existed from 753 BC to 476 AD, and its control reached across all of Western Europe and into the Mediterranean area. The Roman Empire had its humble beginnings around Palatine Hill, an area close to the Tiber River. This area became a center of trade in the area and continued to grow rapidly until the fall of Rome over seven hundred years later. The myth regarding the founding of ancient Rome involves two semi-mythical brothers, Romulus and Remus, who were raised by a she-wolf after their parents abandoned them. Rome is named after Romulus. During the construction of the city, Romulus killed Remus, and Romulus became the first king of Rome. Romulus was later turned into a god in Roman mythology. After reigning for thirty-eight years, recorded history says that Romulus just disappeared in a swirl of cloud and was never seen again, neither living or dead. There are many modern day reminders of ancient Rome, particularly found in the city’s ancient buildings and ruins that are scattered throughout the city. Perhaps the most interesting of these ancient structures is the Catacombs of Rome.

The catacombs were built on the outskirts of Rome, because there were laws in place that prohibited people from burying the dead within the city limits. The Romans buried their dead in the catacombs within a complicated system of passages built on top of each other. Visitors to the city can now visit the catacombs to experience part of ancient Roman history. The Roman coliseum is another piece of ancient Rome that people can visit in the city. Now in ruins, the coliseum once seated fifty thousand people and was the sight of physical contests between gladiators and between animals and people. The coliseum is still an imposing structure in the city, even though it is severely damaged.